Los Angeles, CA — Filmmaker Benh Zeitlin and philanthropist George Gund will be the first-ever recipients of the Sundance Institute Vanguard Awards, presented by Tiffany & Co. The awards will be given at the second annual ‘Celebrate Sundance Institute’ benefit, June 6 in Los Angeles.
The Vanguard Awards were founded last year to mark the 30th anniversary of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program  and its founding director, Michelle Satter.

Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute and Cinereach today announced the 15 projects that will receive a combined $200,000 in grants this year as part of the Cinereach Project at Sundance Institute. In addition to grant awards, selected artists receive creative support at a Sundance Institute Lab, the Sundance Institute Creative Producing Summit or the Sundance Film Festival. Each project was identified by the Institute’s Documentary Film Program or Feature Film Program.

“This is the sound of the world changing,” observed a grinning Cara Mertes, Director of Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program and Fund, as she took the stage amid deafening applause. The audience in front of her had gathered for the first ever Stories of Change Impact Lab, where teams of innovators and artists had spent the better part of the past week huddled together at the intersection of documentary storytelling, new media and social justice. 
To say the crowd was diverse would be a wild understatement.

Destin Daniel Cretton is the writer and director of “I Am Not a Hipster,” which premiered in the NEXT category at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. He is using Kickstarter to help raise funds for the film’s release. Click here to help the film reach its goal.

Daniel Junge is a filmmaker whose work includes the Oscar-winner “Saving Face,” Oscar-nominee “The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner,” Emmy-nominated “They Killed Sister Dorothy,” Toronto-premiere (and Sundance Documentary Fund recipient) “Iron Ladies of Liberia,” and Tribeca award-winner “Chiefs.” He is currently using Kickstarter to raise funds for his new film “Fight Church.” Click here to help the film reach its goal.

It’s hard to truly comprehend how much the short film world has taken us by storm. “Viral video” is a dictionary term and news item. You can get a college degree by making shorts.

The first thing that struck me about Morocco and Moroccan people generally – something subtle and simple yet indicative of something great and meaningful – when you greet a Moroccan he or she will raise their hand to their heart – an unconscious gesture that speaks volumes about the warmth and sincere value of human connection that permeates this rich land in North Western Africa. 
As-Salāmu `Alaykum. `Alaykum As-Salāmu.

Graduation season: A time of great optimism, renewal, and blissful naiveté. There is a sweet oblivion that comes with being a recent grad, before dreams have turned to fantasies and a glaring cynicism permeates every aspect of life. Ok, maybe post-grad life isn’t that bad.

Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute today announced three new members of the Institute’s Board of Trustees: Sean Bailey, Anand Mahindra and Jacki Zehner.
Under the guidance of President & Founder Robert Redford and in close collaboration with Executive Director Keri Putnam, the 23-person Board is responsible for the governance of Sundance Institute and works to actively advance creative and financial support for artists developing original stories for the screen and stage. Wally Weisman continues as Chairman of the Board.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sundance Institute and Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, today released a new report based on findings from the most recent National Arts Policy Roundtable.

FILM FORWARD returned to Morocco for a second year and had another successful collaboration with the U.S. Embassy, Rabat.

Park City, UT — Sundance Institute today announced the four films to be featured at eight free outdoor film screenings for the 2012 Sundance Institute Summer Series. Now in its 15th year, screenings kick off on June 20 at Salt Lake City’s Red Butte Garden and June 21 in a new Park City venue for the summer series, Canyons Resort.
Jill Miller, Managing Director of Sundance Institute said, “Our Summer Series is one way we share independent film with audiences year round.

The way Calexico and Mexicali play off each other gives reason to be excited about traveling to the Imperial Valley in California. The blending of names and place, people and ideas on the border of Mexico made this an ideal setting for Film Forward to visit. Our team met at LAX.

Park City, UT — Sundance Institute today announced that the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, which took place in Park City, Utah, in January, generated an overall economic impact of $80 million for the State of Utah, according to the independent annual economic and demographic study conducted by the University of Utah’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the David Eccles School of Business (BEBR).
The Economic Report, posted in full on the Sundance Institute website, also found that the 2012 Festival: supported over 1,731 jobs; generated over $69 million in media exposure; provided nearly $6.9 million in tax revenue; and was attended by more than 46,000 people, a 2% increase over the prior year.